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Monday, August 27, 2007

In the days BC (before children) I'd see kids in the store wearing the most crazy outfits and I'd think to myself, 'What on earth were their parents thinking???' Now that I have kids of my own, I understand. Kids like to dress themselves and it just isn't worth fighting over.

So, your child wants to wear a red velour sweat shirt, purple plaid pants (I'm not sure why anyone would have purple plaid pants to begin with...), yellow knee socks, snow boots, and a tiara in July. As a parent you have to pick and choose your battles. Generally it's best to save your energy for the more important things such as when the kids want to build a spaceship from parts they’ve taken out your car, or when the kids decide it would be a good idea to paint their bedroom door with nail polish. Stuff like The Hitting My Sister With a Smelly Sweat Sock Repeatedly Battle, or The He's Looking At Me Battle, just aren't worth the effort.

I've actually decided to stop buying new clothes for my kids. My oldest son wears the same nasty old T-shirts day in and day out. It doesn't matter that he has a closet full of nice, new clothes. I'm sure his teacher thinks he's an orphan. And when I take the shirts away and toss them in the garbage, they somehow magically reappear in his drawer again and again. I’ve given up on jeans lasting more than a week with him. Apparently there’s some sort of mysterious force field at school that causes perfectly good jeans to get holes in the knees because that boy can’t manage to keep a new pair of jeans intact for more than a day.

My oldest daughter has nothing to wear. Again, she has a closet full of beautiful, untouched clothing, but I guess the clothes are invisible to her because when she opens her closet door, she sees nothing. She, more often than not, opts to wear my shoes as well. Hmmm maybe I could go raid HER closet for things to wear. I'm sure I'd look quite stylish in her little skirts.

My middle son spends most of his day just hanging out in his pajamas, or occasionally his underwear. Maybe he's onto something. I'm sure it's very comfortable to walk around in nothing but your P.J.s. Can you imagine the look on the poor mailman’s face as I answer the door in my undies? I’m sure I’d make quite an impression at the PTO meetings!

My middle daughter has never worn a normal article of clothing in her life. She only wears bathing suits, leotards, and princess dress-up clothes. At the grocery store she walks on her toes while twirling down the aisles wearing her Cinderella dress. She wears her mermaid Halloween costume to the doctor's office and she dons enough jewelry to make Mr. T. jealous.

My youngest son wears whatever I pick out for him. The only problem is - he likes to dress himself and 99% of the time, he puts it on backwards. I mean, he's got a 50/50 shot of getting it right, yet his shoes are always on backwards and his tag is always sticking out the front of his shirt. I have no idea why this is.

Finally, the baby doesn't care what she's wearing as long as she's got on shoes. First thing in the morning, she wakes up and brings me her shoes to put on. Before I change her diaper, I must slip shoes onto her feet. Pajamas and shoes. A diaper and shoes. Just shoes. Imelda look out.

Yep, I'm going to save thousands on clothes. Hey I just might be able to take early retirement with savings like those.

Just wanted to let you know that I love your blog. I, as others, was led to your ebay listing and have not been able to stay away. I don't have any children yet, but reading your stories are in a way "getting me ready" for parenthood. Thank you for your stories and keep them coming.

I sound a lot like your oldest daughter. I usually complain that I have nothing to wear. I mean, I have a lot of clothes. But, I don't like them. Why did I buy them? I don't know. I guess seeing as I'm only seventeen, this is probably normal. It seems as all though all girls go through this stage at one point or another. Anyways, on a side note, I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy reading your blog. Every time I am on the computer I check to see if you have any new posts. Your writing is both addicting and very humorous.

Keep up the good work. Keep in mind that if you have a seventeen year old [possibly younger, somewhere out there] so interested in your blog, you must be doing something right.

I LOVE your blog and enjoyed your eBay auction. You write like I think, minus the explatives. :) Good luck getting things going in the writing department; you have talent for sure and a six "muses" at your disposal!!

Nothing big, but just a little tip. Lots of your readers are parents of internationally adopted children. "Orphans" isn't the best term for your little ones, as ours really were!!

My son is famous for looking like the youngest homeless person on earth. His dress wear usually consists of:

A superman hatA shirt A brown "Im a pilot" coatShorts4 pairs of socks (they have to be matching on the same side but they are always diffrent lengths on either leg)Shoes (that do NOT have to match and also on the wrong feet)And underneath I can guarantee that his underwear is backwards so it looks like I buy my 4 year old superman thongs.

Unfortunately his pre-school teacher when she learned of his dressing habit last year, shed ask him everyday if he had on matching socks and wearing his underwear right. He started freaking out in the mornings if he didnt have everything perfect.

Thankfully, the time away from his teacher broke him of this habit that I actually miss. Its who he is and I missed my hobo son. He went back to dressing like a homeless man the passed couple of weeks all on his own and Iam thankful hes back to just being a happy 4 year old.

My son is famous for looking like the youngest homeless person on earth. His dress wear usually consists of:

A superman hatA shirt A brown "Im a pilot" coatShorts4 pairs of socks (they have to be matching on the same side but they are always diffrent lengths on either leg)Shoes (that do NOT have to match and also on the wrong feet)And underneath I can guarantee that his underwear is backwards so it looks like I buy my 4 year old superman thongs.

Unfortunately his pre-school teacher when she learned of his dressing habit last year, shed ask him everyday if he had on matching socks and wearing his underwear right. He started freaking out in the mornings if he didnt have everything perfect.

Thankfully, the time away from his teacher broke him of this habit that I actually miss. Its who he is and I missed my hobo son. He went back to dressing like a homeless man the passed couple of weeks all on his own and Iam thankful hes back to just being a happy 4 year old.

I think there should be a bunch of mom's with teens.... we could empty the girls closets and trade with a different mom every month.. new clothes every month... I think my girls might like that 3 teen girls,,, help me....

Your oldest reminds me of my kid brother - now 22 - when he was in fifth grade our aunt and uncle had sent the whole family of four - mom, dad, James and I these tee shirts for Christmas. They were red Ohio State tees with a huge - kid you not - screaming football on the front. Daddy wore his, but Mom and I not so much. So James had three of them, which he wore everyday for about a year. As it happened, his teacher that year had really bad eye issues and had surgery that year. She later told Mom that she always knew where James was in class, cause even blurry, he was the kid in the red shirt every single day.

Great post! I can so relate except my kids would much rather be naked all day. They apparently didn't get the memo that Eve ate the apple.

I wanted to say that I think you are an awesome friend for not cashing your friend's check. I do however think that you should at least let her take you out to lunch or better yet, babysit for a couple hours so you and your husband can go on a date. I think the going rate for babysitting six kids for two hours is about $142 anyway.

i'm wiht you on the picking your battles, my issue is with people that can't just let it go! like the mother in law that wonders why they are hanging out in there underwear and tell them to go put something on. I'm ok with it. let it go. quit making more work for me buy having to get them some clothes to put on becuase you came to visit!!

or the kids with shoes on the wrong feet. hey if the kid did it himself, right on! less for me to do ! and you know those people don't have kids, or at least not with strong wills. the kid did it , so it must be right and i don't care if they are comfortable! love the reality that you live, sounds just like mine!

What is it with kids and their clothes? My three are 2 years old and if you asked my Daughter all she wants in life is to wear one, old, hand-me-down nightgown. Why, I have no idea, but I let her because the battle over hitting and biting means more me right now. Now, if she is still wearing that damn nightgown in 10 years I am gonna have a problem. ;) I love your blog, its great.

Is there any chance you've lost a child? My daughter also wears the same outfit every day (and sleeps in it every night). a frilly pink 'spinning' dress, with a fluffy pink 'pixie ballerina' skirt and a tiara. no shoes though.

Having been out in public with Mr Incredible (last week in fact), Spiderman, Superman and Batman (as well as sundry less recognisable characters created from random clothes), I understand. At least the various costumes bring joy to others (at least that is how I interpret the smiles I get!)

Yup -- I am there with ya sistah! I only have 2 -- but daughter #1 loves to dress up, and I figure "What's wrong with dressing like a princess while you can?" Daughter #2 has also discovered shoes. Shoes and a diaper keep EVERYONE safe, so who can argue with this? Both she and her sister have a shoe thing going on -- but daughter #2 has mastered walking in the most amazing contraptions! At 18 months she looks really funny/cute standing and even walking in high-heeled dress up shoes meant for MUCH older kids! Luckily, she doesn't demand to wear them to the store (yet).

Oh my gosh! This is so totally hilarious and exactly how my children dress too!! They all look like they are fleeing their homeland whenever we go anywhere. I used to be mortified but I see other people's children.....they look like ragamuffins too. It's a battle I do not fight either.

You are so right about picking your battles and clothes is not it for me either.My youngest son (3 at the time) refused to wear underwear, would only wear his pants backwards (the button being in back was his rocket launcher), and refused to acknowledge any footwear other than rain boots. Capes were also daily wear.His older brother still (now 6) doesn't have a smidge of fashion sense and regularly mixes stripes, plaid, camo, tie-dye, etc. in strange and scary combinations

Wow! I am the 1st comment today! I hear you on the clothes. With my son it is any of his T-shirt with Thomas the Tank engine on them! School mornings he will wear whatever I lay out for him because he is still asleep and barely notices, but any other time it has to be Thomas and for some reason the minute his home he wants to know if we are going anywhere so he can strip to his underwear and T-shirt....

Gotta say I just love, love your site & yes I would buy a book, you remind me of a young Joyce Grenfell.

My mother used to be childminder & I used to help out a lot after school & in the school holidays and this just reminds me of those days, when the kids would have us rolling in the aisle, so to speak.

When I tell the girls (the 2 we have kept in regular contact now in they’re 20’s) what they used to do they just don’t believe it ! So now I can show them your site to show them that all children do these things, some a little bit more extreme!

I haven’t got children of my own & am very unlikely to have any, don’t worry I love children, just don’t feel the need to have my own & I’m ok with that. I can always borrow my friend’s kids if I feel the need & in fact it’s often very hard to detach kids from me, kids & cats follow me where ever I go! Go figure.

Anyhow just wanted to add that you make me laugh sooo much & make my friends feel normal, I keep telling them that taking superman to the supermarket is ok & if he wants to wear that princess dress don’t make a fuss, as it will pass if you don’t make an issue of it!

So thank you from the bottom of my heart, laughter is a precious gift and I hope it brings you as much joy as it dose us, oh yes and oodles of cash so your life can be a little easier!

my 4 year old has a pj fetish too. currently he is into his batman pj's. it's been so hot i won't let him wear them when we go out but as soon as we are in the door he rushes to put them back on. and to top it off he has a mask to go with it. so every time i turn around he is doing a batman pose. holy stinky pj's batman!!

Yes in the end children are going to wear what is comfortable and what they like. I'm a 14 yr old guy and I am comfortable in jeans, a t shirt, and a hoodie. On other days I may just wear sweat pants and an old comfortable t shirt. For guys image is not the easiest way to express yourself. I am pretty sure your daughter who wears the princess clothing gets a lot of attention in the super market. Seems like your hands are full in the clothing department. Best of luck♥Victor

My oldest daughter is JUST like your middle one. I swear its a new costume, all about princess and/or looking like a glamor girl 7 days a week. The other day, she wore ballet slippers to the store. Not the normal, cute little slippers that kids in dance class wear that everyone just loves...no...these are the ones that lace up your legs and have something stuffed in the toe because she wanted to look like the girls on the Nutcracker. She can't tie her own shoes, yet she knows how to lace these things perfectly up her leg!

Buy your boy pants at Sears. They have a (free) Kidvantage program, in which they will replace children's clothes if the clothes wear out before the child outgrows them. And my boys always do!You can get jeans for $12 or so on sale at Sears with lifetime replacement... the only catch is you have to replace it with the same size. Course, I have three boys, can you say hand-me-down?

I loved the grocery store story too! You forgot the part about a 4 year old girl who needs to go potty, so as mom, we do our duty and hold her over the potty (while also holding the baby) so she won't get "germs"! And then she pees all down her legs and onto mom too! Well, now I have eight kids, and I used to do that but now I just say, Sit On That Potty!

But wait......could it be I didn't win the lootery because you never saw my comment! Oh it could be, I still have a chance. Seems, I didn't even post it yesterday. Oh joy.....I sent your link to Rosie's blog. Let me tell you winning her lottery blog is very difficult, but anyway, you are WAY funnier. My online friends and I have decided we'd like you to be our friend. We share a warped sense of humor. Join us in St Louis in September for a girlie weekend, but only if you leave the kiddos home.If I do win the Dawn Blog lottery I'd like to say hey to Susan and Donna :)Thanks for making me laugh over coffee at this unGodly hour.

Just the other day my 4 year old came downstairs looking like she'd been dipped in Pepto Bismol....I didn't object simply because she had dressed herself without me having to tell her 142 times to do so!

Hi my name is Kim ... I saw your auction on E-bay and I LOVED your use of expression ... I have now added you to my blog roll! I am looking forward to reading your blog daily! MBKimmy http://mbkimmy.blogspot.com/

Ha! Ha! I found your blog via the circulating ebay email...with five kiddos of my own I soooooo get where you are coming from...absolutely love my third daughter's wild and wacky outfits...she's five:-)We homeschool and have what are famously referred to as pajama days...kids all over the neighborhood quiver with envy that my kids stayed in pj's all day long!Gonna tag your blog often I think...lots of fun to be found in motherhood:-)

I am right there with you! Thank god school requires a uniform so she has to dress nice for that! Otherwise its the same ripped up, too tight clothes! While all the other stuff hangs in the closet untouched.

lol - exactly the same here, why do we bother indeed to buy new clothes? Oh, and there's the other scenario, too - I always try to keep something neat and clean for more official occasions and what does he do? He says cool and wears it to go play soccer - ARGH!!

Ooo, I've finally read a post where you don't already have twenty thousand comments (give or take). I thought my son was the only one who always gets his clothes on backwards and his shoes on the wrong feet. It's to the point where I just want to tell him to get ready to put his shoes on and then switch them.

LOVE your blog! I don't have six kids, just three under the age of six (it was more impressive when I could say three under the age of three), but I feel like I can stil relate. Your posts crack me up!

My niece takes the cake for creative dressing. One Christmas she had on this beautiful dress with pants and Barney snowboots, and once she went out shopping in a Halloween costume.

When my daughter was around 3 she insisted on changing her clothes at least 10 times a day. I fought it for a while then gave up because just like you said, you have to pick your battles and this was one not worth fighting. She also used to put her shoes on the wrong feet. She constantly looked like she was club footed. :)

When my son was 8 he decided he only wanted to wear his sweats, of which he had three. I had gone back to college and did not have time to do laundry every couple of days. He insisted he only wanted to wear sweats. I showed him how to use the washer. Wallah! I discovered an 8 year old is fully capable of doing his own laundry! What a stunning discovery!!!!!! From then on he was responsible for his own clothes. And as soon as my daughter reached the magical age of 8, she too was inducted into the league of qualified users of washers and dryers. I didn't care that she had to climb on a chair to reach the knobs. One of the truly liberating moments of parenthood, right up there with when they learned how to buckle themselves into the car and yes, began to dress themselves. You learn to go with the flow and pick up a few tricks. Like only buying white socks. Why bother with colors that can never find their mate once out of the package? And as my daughter once explained (before she became a fashionista), "Socks are to keep your feet warm, mommy, they don't have to match." Match each other or the outfit with which they are paired, I may add. But hey, I simply introduced my daughter as the budding bohemian artist and acted like I took great pride in her *ahem* unique style. It's all in the attitude :-)And for those who think I was a mean mommy for making my kids do their own laundry...well, I relented during their college years and helped out on occasion. When they appreciated it more! Besides, my son LOVED doing his own laundry because it meant he had full parental permission to use a MACHINE. Same thing happened when he had to mend his own clothes. He read the entire manual that came with my sewing machine and did a much better job of sewing/mending than I could have ever done, and had a blast in the process as he cleaned and tinkered with my MACHINE. (And it actually ran much better after he was done with it!)

Your opening description of hypothetical child outfit reminded me of the book "Ella Sarah Gets Dressed", which your youngest two might enjoy if you ever brave trips to the library (as much fun as grocery shopping sometimes, I know).

Thank goodness my two are mostly compliant with my clothing choices for them still, at almost 4 years old. Though my daughter is convinced that a couple of her prettiest dresses are hideous because they're blue.

Your opening description of a kid-picked outfit reminded me of the book "Ella Sarah Gets Dressed", which your youngest two might enjoy if you ever brave trips to the library (not quite as bad to the grocery store, but still fraught with danger).

Thank goodness my two still let me mostly pick their clothes out, at almost 4 years old. And being inept at dressing themselves, they don't go through five outfits a day like some of my friends kids do.

You have made my night. My week & my month!! Thanks for sharing!! Just found your blog from another site I visit. I've three kids (5.5, 3.5 & 7months) and both the elder are shockers for the clothes! I totally agree about the pick your battles!!Maddie in Australia

My "baby" does the same thing with shoes. I knew I was in trouble when her first two word sentence was, "Shoes On".I also have the kid who walks around in his undies. Although, every once in a while, I'll walk into a room and he's completely naked and loving every second of it.

My daughter is a fashion accident constantly happening! I don't even argue with her choices unless she wants to run around the yard with nothing but a necklace on. Too many crazies out there that could see her while driving by the house.

I have more important battles to fight.....like finding out which kid put their live cricket collection in the toilet for a swim. ;)

I can't believe I'm the first one to comment to this post!!! (and you probably won't even look at the comments anymore!)I just looked at your blog yesterday (after following the ebay auction, which was sent to me by a friend) and I thought that eventually I would like to communicate with you somehow (like another gizillion people, I guess)..anyway, the half-a-million hits per day sort of discouraged me! And here I am, unusually awake thi early and nobody has yet commented on your blog! Maybe you'll read this, maybe not. But I would like to say that I really liked your story on ebay and I look forward to more. Come visit my blog-home if you'd like. Not as funny as yours, but maybe you'll find something semi-interesting (you may have to look hard among all the posts, though!!)Well, nice to "meet you"

You are so funny! I have all boys - 6, 3 and 1. My middle son likes to wear his clothes backwards too. Yesterday, he decided to turn his shirt and shorts around the correct way. He spun his shirt around, and when he took off his shorts, I saw he had his underwear on backward too! At least his shoes were on the right feet that time... You're right about picking battles - I'd rather him be in a wild, backward outfit and be independent enough to dress himself! Keep up the good work and keep us moms laughing... Another one who found you through ebay

Thanks, you made me feel better about my daughter insisting on wearing a pink bow to school today despite wearing red and black everywhere else. I don't worry about stuff at home, but I always wonder what the teacher is thinking!

My five year old went through the backwards stage last year--EVERYTHING was ALWAYS backwards, and if you offered to help her turn it around she said "No thanks, I like it this way" She also went through the princess stage, so for a while we had a backwards princess running around the house :)

HA! I can completely relate! I also let my sons choose their own clothes and it is fascinating what they choose. My baby, however, refuses to put shoes on and spends most of the day trying to figure out how to remove whatever clothing I have forced on her! But really, some battles are just not worth the effort.

Funny that this is your blog today as my 3yo daughter presented us with a blue-and-red flowered shirt, purple striped shorts with orange and blue, and her Elmo underwear. Today it was sandals so no Husker socks.

However, I always wear wacky socks to work so there for a while I'd get the most clashing pair of socks for her outfit of the day just to see if anyone noticed.

Found you through your eBay listing. You are a brave woman. Well, it's a fine line, isn't it?? Stop by sometime.

Yup. My three year old would wear the same Spiderman shirt ad infinitum if we didn't sneak it to the washer every now and then.

As for backwards shoes, he tries to figure out which shoe goes on which foot by turning the shoe over and matching the shape of the shoe's sole to the shape of the sole of his foot. What looks right upside down invariable results in shoes on the wrong feet.

It's so nice to know that there's someone else in the same boat I'm in. I have a half dozen of my own: four boys, ages 8, 7, 6, and 5; and two girls, ages 5 and 5 months. I really enjoy your writing, as I can completely identify with it. I was sent a link recently to your eBay auction of the bunch of Pokemon cards your litter slipped by you. Cracked me up. And, at the same time, reminded me of why I refuse to take all of mine shopping. I wait until my husband's home, or I don't go. But I digress. It gives me a great deal of hope for myself to see that someone who's done the mind-numbing job of parenting so long still manages to keep a sense of humor about it. My hat goes off to you.

I completely agreee...you have to pick you battles. We live 5 houses down from my parents. Yes, I know how lucky I am! I use the term lucky VERY loosely. Anyway, one day my oldest wanted to go down and see my mom. He wore his bathing suit, a cowboy hat and cowboy boots. I said, 'don't you need a shirt'. He promptly responded, 'No.'. I just shrugged my shoulders and got his bike. My mother loved the outfit.

hi, i loved your listing on ebay, it was a great read, i was wondering if we could put a link to your blog on www.butterflylounge.myfreeforum.orgmy mum runs it and she is willing to make you an honorary member lol xaimee x

Who gets the purple plaid pants for our darlings???? The same folks who get the huge toy cars that are louder than real life jetliners.....you know who I mean...GRANDPARENTS :) Love from Spring in South Carolina...proud mom (sometimes) of four 8,7, 4 and 1 Thanks for sharing so many smiles

I have to say it is a good thing that you have such a good sense of humor. I'm the baby of 11 (a his, mine & ours sort of thing) and can completely understand what you go through. It's even funnier to have lived through it from the kids side of things and then get older to realize the "fun" my mom had from the adult side. :o) She had a great sense of humor too. That came in handy when she only had one nerve left and we were on it. Cuz if you could get her laughing you were saved. She would have loved to read your blog - if nothing else she would have been happy to know there was someone else out there just as crazy/happy as she was! Thanks for putting a smile on my face and taking me on a trip down memory lane. I've subscribed to your blog and look forward to all the fun ahead! :o) Good luck and take care! Or if nothing else - proceed with caution! :o)

Hello Dawn. I'm one of those people from your e-bay auction that came here to your blog. I have 4 children, 6.5 and under, with the 5th due at the end of Dec. I know those kind of shopping trips only too well. My children aren't into Pokemon, but I get the candy and other stuff. My 2 eldest are girls and they are totally wanting to decide what they wear. We wear only dresses and jumpers, and lately, they have been wanting to wear their shirts over their jumpers or dresses, along with the winter hat and mittens. It's not a huge deal, I know. But they look so ridiculous!

I'm not sure if you are serious are not about writing a book. But if you are, here is a company that publishes books without having to go through a publishing group. You send your data via PDF files (everything you want your book to look like and read like, is in this file), they print off what you want and send the book back to you. It is a partner company with Amazon.com, so you can sell books through Amazon or set up your own site. My husband published a genealogy book a few years ago through this company. Just thought I'd mention it. Have a great day and thanks for the "Good. Someone else knows what I'm talking about!"Jennifer D

Hi I decided to come to your blog because of your post to ebay. Being the mother of five children I sympathize with everything you are going through. It is wonderful to know that there is another mom out there who has about the same amount of brain cells that I have. I am also a stay at home mom after recently trying my hand at returning to work for a year. I am also trying to right a book about my wonderful brood however with five kids I can't get through the first chapter. Looking forward to reading yours and reading more about you and your children.

Like many who have left comments before me, I found you through ebay. I wanted to say you made my day...I really did think I was the only mom in the world who thought like you write. You are an excellent writer and I look forward to many more good reads!

This is SUPER! With thing 1 I had a bit more control over what he wore and when. With thing 2 I have given up. Had I continued on to thing 6...I can only image!Thing 2 took to wearing a Godzilla costume in July. Long sleeves, 'hood/hat' the whole 9. I tried to limit it to indoors-where the a/c was on. (we live in New Orleans) that eventually became a fight not worth fighting! I think I shall post on this today as well!~d

You DO have to pick and choose your battles. Our youngest is 14 and very strong willed (the last of 5). Some kids just make you look good as parents; we had a couple of those and then got a huge dose of reality~! I remember the time I took her to the dentist and she refused to open her mouth. I could have spanked, but what good would it have done? Prying her mouth open wouldn't have worked either~! She still wouldn't have opened it. Our dentist simply said to reschedule her appointment. Very wise move on his part. LOLI love your blog~!

I guess my son will make some woman happy one day! He too wants his shoes on NO MATTER WHAT! First thing he wants is 'Shoes on mom, shoes on!' He is 2.5! :)

My daughter only wants to wear dresses. Not just ANY dress either. Only dresses without shirts. What is a dress without a shirt. A dress that is A-line and without touching her belly. If the dress is fitted to her body (via an elastic band or just a simple connection of the top to the bottom at the waist) - that is a shirt dress and not a dress. It has to be loose and free. I guess I can't blame her. Comfort does matter. I only wish I knew this before we bought all the 'shirt dresses'.

Sears still does the replacement pants until your child grows out of them. They are the ONLY place we buy pants for my son. He has even blown through his church dress pants-I have no idea how he manages that! We had him a really nice pair of jeans last year that he could only wear off-like out to eat or something where we knew he wasn't playing on his knees. Yep, still wore a hole through them. I give up.

I can relate to the son who wears the same shirt everyday. My son is 14 and does the same thing. I found a solution though, I took the favorite shirt out to his dad's vehicle and hid it under the seat. Put a note in the car and asked his dad to dispose of the shirt when he gets to work.

I now have to do this to shirt #3 tonight.

I live in the desert, and it is not uncommon for my son to get ready to go someplace with me wearing a sweater and long pants when it is 118 degrees outside. I just shake my head and make excuses like he is always cold.

You are absolutely HILARIOUS!! I have 5 kids (12, 10, 9, 2, and 7mos) and can totally relate to your stories! You really made my day, and I hope you find lots of other things you can sell on eBay to help with family expenses!! I would do that too, but I'm just not nearly as creative of a writer as you are!

Dawn,I totally understand the princess stuff...my 5 year old does the same thing!!! I am so glad that i'm not alone in this. Today was her 3rd day of Kindergarten, and she wanted to wear a Belle costume to school! Of course I said no, and she gave me the whole, "but MOM!!! OLIVIA is there! And she likes PRINCESSES!!! ARRGGG!!!" She then stomped off, arms folded and pouted. I rolled my eyes, and kept changing the diaper. Oh well, like I said, at least we're not alone, right?

So your blog has me giggling. The best clothing adventure for me and my son is when he compliments me first at the age of three and says. Mom... you are a wonderful finder... and then waits a few beats and says. Could you find my shoes? He is getting very good at this and even likes to cock his head and give the little smile while he says it. Had to share. Enjoy your blog!Enjoy!Chris

Hey Dawn,I saw your story on another blog and couldn't resist to read thw whole auction story. I love it!!! It's absolutely funny!!! And I'm so thankful to discover your blog. You really should write a book. Talking about six kids, I don't have my own yet, but I'm coming from six pack too. Occasionally I'm babysitting too and many things sound soooo... familiar to me.Hug your little ones for me! Lots of blessings,

I loved your ebay listing and love reading your blog. It gives me something to smile about while my four kids are trashing my kitchen :) I have to ask one question though. Where do you find groceries for eight people for under $300??? I just ordered online on Friday and spent over $600!!!

Love your blog. My DS has gone through several of the stages you describe. He was actually a pretty good dresser at one point; he'd choose coordinated outfits on his own. Now he's almost ten and wears one of his TWO favorite shirts almost every day. They have holes, and he's ignoring a drawerful of other, very nice, shirts. I've tried burying these two at the bottom of the drawer, but he's determined enough to dig for them. I keep meaning to lose these two in the wash....

Dawn, I had to burst out laughing about your clothes blog. Just last night night my 11yr old daughter, brought a pair of pants to me requesting that i cut them off and hem to to make capri pants (at 10pm the night before school) I gave her the "Are you out of your mind look". She told me she had nothing else to wear, whine, whine, whine. So I went into her room and low and behold clothes just magically appeared in drawers, and I mean alot of clothes, but apparantly just not the riiiiiight ones. So I firmly told her she would have to find something quickly tonight and that I would fix her other pants tomorrow allowing me enough time for that request, apparantly us moms have nothing else to do except wait for the whine (not the right kind of wine, lol) and then the demand.....now for the boy...her twin brother. If the clothes are filthy enough to stand up by themselves then they are just right good for at least another week....i smell just fine people just don't want to invade my personal space and that is why they remain 10 feet away, right. thanx for the chat

This reminds me of the "advice" I was given by a friend whose children always seem to look neat, tidy, ad somewhat matching. When I asked her how she ket her kids looking so great, she said that she made a rule (ha!) that she got to pick out daytime clothes and the kids got to pick out their pj's.

I foolishly tried to establish this rule with my daughter (what can I say, she was my first - I was naive).

The result?

She wore nothing but pj's for an entire year. "-)

But hey, at least she had clothes on - our current issuw is getting her to wear pants or panties (I honestly don't care which) when we have company or are out of the house. She's been known to try and kip playdates, saying "no, i just want be naked"

I love your blog it really brightens my day. The clothes thing is too funny - my oldest was recently watching home movies, looked at me in horror and said I can't believe you dressed me like that; LOL!!!!

Bwahahahah! Fortunately neithr of my girls is a princess, but, blimey, can my oldest DD (age 4) get her clothes screwed up. There is an excellent chance at any given dressing episode that she will actually have on both shirt and trousers back-to-front AND inside out.

*rolls eyes*

I also just leave her be. I figure she'll get it worked out. In a few years.

I also have the child that gets everything backwards, the shoes are his favortie. I've come to the conclusion that he does this on purpose because he thoroughly enjoys the ensuing conversation about how and why they are on backwards. And then the battle to fix them, which most of the time I don't realize they are backwards till we are almost out the door so he travels with backwards shoes! Lol!

When my youngest son as about 4 he wandered off in Walmart. People actually looked at me strangely when I told the security what he was wearing.....red striped shirt, print purple shorts, green snow boots and carrying a doll called "a baby" (his sister was only a few months old and he wanted his own baby to haul around). I kept hearing "Snow boots in July?"...hey, at least he was dressed!

My middle one went to school without shoes one day. Two of mine are older now and I'm still chanting "pick your battles, pick your battles...."

Your fan base is indeed growing. I will be one of the first people to purchase your book (when you write it). I applaud your humor and good natured attitude with raising six kids. Maybe sainthood is in your future? Either way, you MUST write that book. It WOULD sell.

Clothing is a huge issue with our 4 year old son. He has definite likes and dislikes and sometimes we wrestle him down to wear something decent for church - he is getting better, Thank God!

He likes to wear mismatched jammies and a cowboy hat or his fireman's helmet or his army helmet . . . you get the idea. . .on the front porch where he plays with his imaginary friends and blows his steam engine whistle at the top of his lungs. Our elderly neighbors who are hard of hearing even comment on how loud he plays. Oh well.

All three of my kiddos went through a "backwards clothing" thing, and I can't figure that one out, either. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that if I take a moment to look at my 8 1/2 year old daughter, she's got at LEAST her shirt on backwards AND inside out. It just baffles me why I take so much time to pick out shirts with cute sayings or nice graphics on them... the only thing you wind up seeing on her is the manufacturer's tag! Ugh!

I just wanted to tell you I love your blog and can't wait for the next update (via email to let me know there is a new one). My husband and I have 6 girls all together (including from previous marriages) and I can so relate to alot of your daily activity.

I agree with the clothing fight. When my step daughters are over they have nothing to wear at all even though they brought clothes from home plus clothes we have here for them :O.

And then my 4 yr old that started Kindergarten this month. Having the daily morning argument of what she can and can't wear. If she had her way she would be wearing things 10x her size or her night clothes to school. And the morning question is it cold or hot today mommy at 5 AM in the morning before the sun is even up LMAO

My 3 yr old well she has a style of her own. I pick out her clothes 50% of the time but she always let me know it isn't what she wants and go in her dresser to get what she wants and by time it comes to arguing with her I am just to tried of doing it anymore LMAO

Your blog has become as important as morning caffiene. You are so funny. I am the mom of 4 boys with baby #5 to be on scene in March. I dread the comments made by well wishers. HOPE YOU HAVE A GIRL this time. I so relate to much of your stories. Mommy hood really is universal. Thanks for sharing a laugh today.

We live the same life I have the 14 yr old from hell she thinks if it is name brand she doesnt wear it so she will be going to school naked this year! She also thinks that you need 25 shirts because how could I ever expect her to wear the same thing twice "Oh my the thought" My 11 yr old will wear anything either clean or dirty it doesnt matter and trust me that is just as annoying as I scream for 20 minutes go change my 5 yr old he is my tough one we call him the poster child for birth control! He is the one that will not leave the house unless he looks perfect yes I know it is my own fault but it didnt work when I tried that with teh others so I figured the same would happen, Oh No he has to be perfectly pressed and clean hair has to be geled and looking perfect & he has to wear cologne he has gotten to teh point of telling his friends I can't believe you go out like that lol!! I so live your life and your blog has added so much joy to my laugh and it makes me laugh thank you !

My 7-year old son doesn't care what he wears as long as it features either Spiderman or Star Wars. He tried to go to school in a Spiderman pajama top the other day. No matter what he's wearing or what time of year it is, the minute he gets home, he takes off his pants and his shoes simutaneously. The shoes and pants will stay where ever he leaves them and he will spend the rest of the day roaming around in his underwear and t-shirt. I offer shorts or sweatpants, but they end up on the bathroom floor about an hour later.

Hi, I came to your blog through your ebay auction and I have to say that it is fantastic. It has really cheered me up, and made me laugh on what otherwise may have been a down day. So I just want to say thank you for providing a well-written and funny blog.

Being a mom of a toddler and a baby, I can only imagine your daily adventures. You crack me up! My toddler prefers to be in her undies and dance in her tutu, but I guess because she's only one child and the other is still little enough, I can still win the battle of what she's leaving the house in.

Congrats on the interview! You've got to figure out a way to share it online! I'd love to watch. :)

I should have known you were moderating the comments and that it was impossible that I was the 1st to comment!! LOL!!! How embarassing (and computer/blog ignorant!!) Oh well. Maybe I'll get to be the last one to comment (doubtful as it may be)I always have the excuse that it is scientifically proven that every time a woman gives birth she loses brain cells. I started off with so little of them anyway, that with two kids I'm left with none.

Okay, I can so go there with you. Try a Gecko/lizard shirt(baby blue with navy stripes), Bob the Builder pajama shorts(yellow, need I say more?), Thomas the Train house shoes, and a red fireman's hat that lights up and makes noise. My 2 1/2 year old son refused to step out of the house one day unless he could wear this. You say refused, yes I said refused, and I let him wear it. I only have one child, but I work a job outside of the home and by the time everything else is done, anything that works is how we get to Wal-Mart for the weekly shopping. I probably overindulge a lot with him, but that is just the way things go in my house.

Your kids must be pretty happy kids if you let them dress as they please (and I say that like it's a good thing).I work with kids and we have one rule for them when it comes to clothing (okay, two), you can't wear the same thing to school two days in a row and you have to dress appropriately (as in nothing too revealing for a young child or preteen). Wearing a halloween costume to school would be considered appropriate in my books, as long as it covered skin that is! Hope you are having fun with your kids!

Hiyai don't have any kids of my own but i was sent a link to your ebay ad in an email and found your blog from there!I just wanted to say that i think you have a great outlook on life and a fantastic sence of humour. With 6 kids and a hubby to look after you can still smile and manage to find time to do this blog.You'r outlook on life has made me smile and laugh today!Keep up the good work!Kel xxxx

Ha! I have had the same thoughts.... I guess I was more anal when my kids were small... I always chose the out fit for the day....

What would horrify me was when I would be at a meeting or some type of gathering and my husband would dress the kids.... he would let them dress themselves, the less of two evils were the kids dressing themselves!

They would drive up and step out of the safari mini van... looking like they went on safari and were lost for 3 days! I was always embarrassed!

Messy hair.... jean skirt, snow boots and a shirt that was way to small... daughters hair looking as if a rake wouldn’t comb through her long blond hair! food on the face... you know...

So now when I see kids a little un-kept... I assume they dressed themselves, or dad did it! lol

Hi Dawn,I was just emailed your ebay listing and after reading that, I had to read your blog. Everything your saying is true, true, true..lol. My youngest son, just like your little one. Has to have on shoes all the time. His favorite outfit....diaper and shoes!!! My oldest is 9, and I swear the child is color blind! He can't match an outfit for school to save his life. He thinks rubbing his hair down with his hand in the morning is brushing it! What's a hairbrush?? My best friend is in your shoes, she has 5 with one on the way. I hear all kinds of stories...lol! She's going through the teenage years with the oldest one now...she has literally scared the crap out of me!!! I'm dreading it already..lol!

LOL you crack me up!!! Your daughter that likes to dress up in princess stuff sounds just like my 4 yr old. I have 2 girls and 2 boys.. my oldest 5 1/2, then 4 1/2, 2, and then the baby is 9 months. a matter of fact while im typing this my 5 1/2 yr old daughter comes up to me holding two pieces of bread, a butter knife, and a jar of open jelly (which seems to cover everything) wanting a jelly sandwich... now my hands and the keys are all sticky... "yay!"

Great post..I can relate in so many ways. I swear my sons literally crawl on the playground at school because there are always holes in their pants within a few days if even that from recess. LOL Their socks too..they're black as can be on the bottoms and they wear shoes?? I think they take the shoes off and have more fun running around in their socks!!!

As a Mom to four daughters and one boy, I completely hear you! Our trips to the grocery store got a lot more interesting with the addition of our son to our family (he's 6yrs old, from India and has been home 5 months). At least your kids don't try out their new-found English skills on total strangers by telling them "You Farted!".

Hi, A friend from work emailed me your ebay story and I have to tell you that I loved it. I only have 3 little ones at home but when I am out in public I feel like I have six of them running as well. You are a wonderful person with a great sense of humor and so do many of us here ready your stories. If you write a book I will be first in line to get it.

I have a closet full of clothes with nothing that fits. I had my 6th three months ago...but I don't want to get rid of my clothes that don't fit because then I would have nothing to choose from! (gasp!)So I actually have nothing to wear. And I refuse to go shopping until I lose weight! My maternity clothes have become my style of choice. Wether I'm pregnant or not! Ha! Who wants to join me in making a new fashion statement???

I too was drawn to your site from your Ebay listing. Ironically, it was from my aunt who your writings remind me of. Thanks so much for your humorous blogs. It is good to see I am not alone. I have a different problem with my 3 year old. She is very fashion conscious (I don't know where she gets it from I just throw on whatever is clean). We took her shopping for one outfit and it took us at least 20 minutes to find one she likes. I am so glad I found your website!

Oh, I can relate only too well. My kindergartener came downstairs one morning with a maroon sweater vest, navy tee ball pants, and brown knee socks on one day.

Me: Do you think that matches?

Him: (with a big grin) Yep!

Me: So do you think you'll be cold? What about a t-shirt on underneath?

Him: Ok, Mom.

Me: Do you think you'll be cold (in February with snow up to your butt) at school today?

Him: Nope, I have snow pants!

I sent him to school just like that. He was proud of himself. However, I did attach a note to his shirt saying I knew how he'd dressed, it was all his idea, and as long as he wasn't in his underwear I was ok with it all. LOLOL

Oh. My. God. I swear I could have written this myself (tired of hearing that one yet?) minus the fact that I don't have any daughters, just boys. FIVE boys.

I am SO with you on the jeans.. if only they made jeans of steel. I'd be all over that.

There is an upside.. at least they aren't wearing your underwear. Just yesterday my 3 yr old son was wearing my underwear. You know the part that goes on over your hips? Yeah well he had them on over his shoulders. As I was looking at him from the back, I can't help but think "Dude is my ass really that big??"

My son is 5 and loves Nascar. He has at least 5 Nascar themed shirts and will wear them every day if I let him. His first week of kindergarten he did just that, an new driver for each day of the week.No matter how hard I try to remember not to wash these shirts , I always do.Tomorrow is picture day. Maybe he'll wear the nice polo shirt I so desperately wanted him to wear on the first day of school. Maybe

I just wanted to say you are my Idol.Although I only have 4 children ranging in age from 20,15,7,6.Oh yes & I forgot to mention my 20 year old daughter who thought when I said I was to old for this stuff. Truly believed I meant that now it was time for me to become a grandma. So now I also have a 2 month old grandaughter.The link to your e-bay auction along with your blog was put up in our crime forum on our Hillarity ensues thread. To date it was the funniest I have ever seen.Although my 2 boys are the same size (18 months apart) wich gives them a larger variety of clothes or so I thought.Even though they have the same taste. I have to buy literary the same thing in differant colors.Even so I thought this was a blessing they could share their clothes. One is in 2nd, the other in 1st. Who is going to know they are swapping clothes?Very soon after them wearing these clothes after doing laundry a few times my 7 year old decided to argue over who's clothes were who's. I asked after all this time how did he know those were his clothes. They were literally the same style just differant colors. I still sat astonished & dumbfounded. I paid for these clothes & could not remember who picked out what. So how could he remember.He said Mom I cut the tags off of all mine. I said no I did that when we got home. He continued to argue with me. So He finally brought me all his clothes & showed me he was right he did All the brand & size tags were cut out at the seam where these new shirts are starting to unravel.Next time I guess I will get tagless shirts. He sure did teach me a lesson or two. If they do not share their toys what made me think they would share their clothes.Anyway Thanks for the good laugh & it is wonderful to see all these moms with a sense of humor.

I totally agree about picking your battles. My son wears his camo shorts, cowboy boots, and redneck looking wife-beater shirt like everyday! Always when I need to go to the store. HE has a closet full of cute clothes, but it's not worth it! :-)I love this blog, I think I'm going to link you!

OMG! I can def relate - and I only had ONE! now 17 and very much of the opinion that I don't know "style"...

I have a photo of her at 3 wearing 2 skirts (both pushed below the belly button), a t-shirt, jacket, backpack, leotards (and let me tell you she didn't finish putting those on til the seam going up the back of her little legs was perfectly straight!) socks, turquiose Ropers (cowboy boots for those not in Texas) and a white hat, red curly hair and a beautiful grin on her face! Her words: "I dude it...I dude Mama!" (translation: don't help me!!)

...oh yes, and I'll never forget the time she looked us both over and said "We two stylin' girls!"

I miss the days, although at the time she drove me nuts with rolling her socks down exactly two times, rolling the shorts up, pushing them below the belly button and combining all sorts of mis-matched colors patterns and seasons! (a sweatshirt in August, in TEXAS???)

My oldest daughter (17) swears she has no clothes. Who the 7 full laundry baskets of clean clothes in the girls room belong to, I don't know. There are things I have never seen them wear, but end up in the wash frequently.

I realised in mid August that I hadn't sorted through 1/2 of the summer clothes we brought down from the attic. They all still had clothes to wear. That tells me we have too many and need to weed them out before next summer.

My mom has a childrens clothing consignment shop, so if there is something my younger kids need, I pay grandma. But she also bring us large trash bags full of things that didn't sell and my kids might need. How many pairs of used sneakers does on family need?

This is a first for me. I've never read a blog until today after I read my e-mail and opened up the link to the e-bay sale (and now I'm feeling guilty because my own sister has a blog--I'd better visit it. I'm sure it's good.). The e-mail was sent to me by a friend with 6 kids, who had it sent to her by someone else with 6 kids. I only have 5. I'm a slacker. I would love to have another one if my husband worked fewer hours or made more money so I could hire household help or at least pay someone to taxi my children around. Or that's what I like to tell myself. Seeing that my youngest will be in kindergarten next year, #6 is not likely to happen for me.

I had to laugh at today's blog because my almost five-year old, fresh out of the shower and wrapped in a towel (or maybe he was naked, I can't quite remember), brought his clothes into my bedroom and set them on my still unmade bed. His clothes usually match somewhat, but today the shirt was white with tan stripes across the shoulders and an orange basketball emblazened on the front. The bottoms were gray athletic-looking shorts with black and red inset down the sides. I said to him, "Let's go get you some shorts that match your shirt." I started to leave my room to trek to the other side of the house where I knew I could rummage through a pile of laundry that surely must contain something that would go with the shirt. I could see the pile in my mind. It was about four loads that I had originally dumped on the family room couch last Saturday, but half of the clothes had been bounced or flung onto the floor by the almost five-year old tornado that whirls through this house. The reason the laundry lay there unfolded is because I had convinced myself that I had earned a vacation--the privilege of reading the latest Harry Potter--because I had survived not only the brutally hot Phoenix summer with five kids stuck indoors all day long (no pool at our house), but also the first week of teaching preschool out of my home. (Am I insane to add four more children to my list of responsibilities? Really, it is fun, but oh so much work!) Much of my "vacation" was spent in fifteen minute increments while waiting at the bus stop, waiting in front of the the high school gymnasium for my freshman to be done with tennis (which is held on the courts behind the gym, but SHOULD be in the gym because it has been 115 degrees here), waiting in the same spot two hours later for her older sister to emerge from volleyball practice...but some of it was spent on the opposite couch, neglecting said laundry. So I knew right where to look for shorts that matched, but my son stopped me in my tracks when he insisted, "They match." He explained, "They go with my other basketball shirt."

Oh, so that's how it works? If it matches one basketball shirt, it has to match another. Never mind if the other shirt is red. Anyway, I let him wear his "matching" outfit until it was time to take his 8-year old sister to the doctor to check on a suspected sprained ankle--her second injury this month. What's up? I was glad that the appointment was at 11:15 because I had been distracted by this blog most of the morning. I'd snuck off to read it between batches of laundry, dishes and phone calls to the school and doctor. When it was time to leave, I had Tornado change into the red shirt, telling him "hurry" about 25 times (I wonder how many times I say that in one day) "because we should have left our house five minutes ago." I was horrified when I tried to shove a flip flop onto wounded sister's swollen foot to see her long, ragged, dirty toenails. They had been covered up by the red canvas sneakers she has been wearing every day since I bought them a month ago, no matter whether they match her outfit or not, and I hadn't noticed how unkempt her toenails were. I didn't have time to cut them before we left because we were, as I had said, in a hurry. I tried not to cringe about the toenails as the doctor examined her foot (when I really should have been cringing sympathetically for my daughter's pain). So the toenails looked ratty, but at least little brother's clothes matched (using my criteria for matching, not his).

Thanks for the blog. I love it!! My son has American flag boots (I'll let you imagine that as you will, anything will reflect how horrible they are). He pairs these with green basket ball sorts. That's it!

Please do keep writing, you are a joy to read and are a very refreshing boost. (anyone that can make my coffee come through my nose deserves accolades right?)

Hey... I've got one of those kids too! This is what I got the other day when I told her to get dressed for the store:Yellow sleep shirt, light blue pj pants, a pink ballet skirt over the pants, pink kitty cat rainboots & her sparkling necklace & matching bracelet. Yep. We went to the store dressed just like that.

I actually miss the goofy outfit phase of my child's life. My one-and-only child, a daughter, loved to wear swimsuits when she was 3 years old. And her cowgirl boots. Together. Any swimsuit was fine, as long as it was with the cowgirl boots.

We went to the bank, the grocery, the library, my office, and her preschool on various occasions when she was wearing THE outfit. And everywhere we went, she made someone smile. Usually it was someone who obviously needed a smile right then.

That's the gift kids give us over and over -- the ability to smile and appreciate children for who and what they are.

I know just how you feel regarding your son ang jeans!!! My now 20 year old would go through 'em in a day, too! That's when I decided "To heck with this!!" I visited the local thrift stores and stocked up on them! I know you don't like to sew, but If you take the back pockets off the ripped jeans, they make dandy patches! I use to sew them on the inside for reinforcement, too!

Ha ha ha, you're hilarious!!! By the way, using nail polish as paint isn't all bad...I did that at our first apartment for a small hole in the wall & they never even noticed :):):) I"m sure it would get pricey to do a whole door that way though...

Dawn - I have two small boys - 4 and 8 months - and Friday the 8 month old (who at the rate he is going is going to end up permanently disabled by the time he is 5) crawled - at about Mach 5 - off the end of our bed. He hit his head and his mouth on the way down and knocked his bottom two teeth loose. Of course, there was blood everywhere and after calling the pediatrician who told me to call a dentist (and try finding one of THOSE around on a Friday), it was all I could do to change my bloody t-shirt before heading out the door with my bloody child and his half dressed older brother. After finally finding a dentist (two offices later) moments before the office closed, and being told that the baby's teeth would probably be fine, I was able to step back and chuckle at the fact that I just spent the past hour and half out in public with a 4 year old who was dressed in a dirty green and brown t-shirt paired with a pair of dark blue Thomas the Train long pants pajama bottoms and no shoes, and a baby whose face was covered in smeared diluted blood and well, snot. It was a true mommy moment!

Wow your daughter sounds just like me with the I have nothing to wear deal hahaha. I could go on a shopping spree and in just one week I suddenly have nothing to wear or nothing that matches. It doesn't end, I am 21 and have been in this 'stage' since I was born : )! My husband and I read your blog everyday and he threatens that should he ever 'allow' me to have children we will have only one and then we must both be sterilized.. Thanks a lot! On a serious note, I love your blog and it brightens our days as we sit here nearly peeing our pants. Have a wonderful evening and good luck with the little angels!Sincerely,Shaina and SokolConnecticut

Your closed Pokemon card auction is now spread to forums besides ones for moms. I found out about it from studentpilot.com. I'll check in on the motorcycle forum I'm on and will tell them about your blog if they haven't already heard.We only have one child, a two year old girl. That's it, just one. Hey, I drive a two-seat car. That keeps the reproduction limited, that and a vasectomy. Oh, it's gotten quiet in the other room. I better go see what's going on.

You inspired me to put my humorous Motherhood and Life stories out here :-) You sound like me, but with more kids. Check out the rest of my stories from my yet-to-be-published book Disaster Flambe at http://disasterflambe.blogspot.com

I totally agree... I mean, it's just rediculous to inhibit their creative expression of themselves when there are so many more important battles.

Obviously there are times when we have to put the foot down about their clothes (for the once yearly nice picture that we force them into, or when the grandma who clearly didn't have real children or had her memory wiped comes over), but for the most part, we should definitely encourage their self-expression.

Even if it ends in 1 child never changing his clothes until I rip it off in his sleep because it's just too filthy, another child changing his clothes 3 or 4 times a day as his mood fluctuates, and a daughter who, when she deems it a time to be dressed, puts all clothes on inside out AND backwards, with her own bottoms, but demanding that she wear her brother's ninja turtle longsleeved shirt.

I've always wondered about that! The math just doesn't add up. He's got a 50-50 shot of getting it right but somehow my 4 year old's underwear is always on backwards! (That's when it's on at all... he usually comes back from the bathroom without it) I finally realized that maybe it's because the picture is on the butt and he likes to be able to see Spiderman and Diego and whoever else happens to be on his rear end?

I have two boys one of whome would wear pajamas ALL the time. The other will only wear white shirts with stains. Why? Who knows! But my parents have a number of pictures of me in a variety of outfits but always with a straw hat and black dingo boots. I haven't shown those to my kids. Hoping they turn out normal

Carhartts the only pant to dress your boys in.... the will last longer, longer not for ever. they are the best investment I have found.http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10051&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&categoryId=10924

It must be universal because my youngest daughter wears nothing but princess clothing or bathing suits, my middle daughter wears the mismatched (can you say purple stripes with Christmas flowers?) clothing, and my son wears everything backwards!! Everything....STILL....He's NINE!! And my oldest daughter is longing for the day she can wear my shoes and she only wears her boyfriends mom's clothes...**sigh**

I'm a tiny bit farther along the road than you and I wish I could say I'm rich from the savings but they find other ways to drain your bank account!!

LOL. My kids, like yours and most others I imagine, are weird about clothing also. My oldest son for quite sometime wore nothing but red. My youngest always wanted to have a cape on. Now, they do dress at bit more normally (they are 5 and 7), but my oldest refuses to tuck the tag of his shirts in. I have a compulsion about tags not sticking out, so I am constantly tucking his in just for him to jerk away and tug it back out. Oh well, as long as I get my 5yo to put on something other than just underware, I am happy.

Ahhhh...this touched home..I only have two kids, but my oldest sows her individuality and uniqueness through her clothing. I always pick out her outfit and have it laying on her bed...she dutifully puts on the outfit and will come downstairs to "show" me that she is properly dressed..but that is the last time I will see her that way.

Usually she will have put on two or more hankerchefs tied about her head and arms (got into trouble with the around the neck).Socks on her hands, a dress on top of the already existing matching outfit. Maybe a pair of pants on top of the dress. Then a pair of rainbow rain boots, and if possible, another pair of shoes or maybe two or three pairs of socks. Then her most favorite thing to wear is her dalmation dog costume, and to top it all off, a couple of hats...the bottom hat usually being a fancy hat, topped by a yellow Bob the Builder hat, usually followed by a tiara or crown of sorts.

We've gone to the bank, grocery store, Target, you name it, the world has seen my daughter this way. Thankfully she agedout of the wanting to wear her underwear on the outside, or on her head or both....that was more embarrassing for me. Once time we had rushed to the store and I didn't realize until we were standing at the checkout counter that she had a pair of underwear on her head...I didn't think too much of it, until upon closer inspection, I realized to my horror, they were my undies on her head! I turned bright red...and just looked at the ground until we got home whence I pulled the undies off her head so fast, her hair almost came out. My undies are now in a top drawer that is well above her reach.

Dawn, my friend sent me your e-bay notice and I linked your blog. Go for a column or book and any interview you can, God has blessed you with talent. Also fight for us stay at home moms with 6 kids, me too and I homeschool them, Dah, no brain cells either. Us moms are always critized for choosing to raise our own kids and then enjoying it. You have a great oppurtunity to help in many different ways as well as stay ahead of the bills. May God guide you into a deal to bless you abundantly. Ktneis

I've thoroughly enjoyed firstly your ebay item and then your blog. I have only two. A boy of 8 who will wear almost anything I tell him, and yes, most pants don't last long at the knee... I thought it was just him, until I got perfecly good jeans from a friend as a hand-me-down, and the knee was torn! My daughter is 6 and has been in the princess/ballerina/twirly dress phase for 3 years now. I never thought pink went with red hair, and now she likes just pink... I think she likes pink just to spite me... But thanks for your blog. Now I know I'm normal and so are my kids. I can relax. :)

I tried to skim first - but that's a lotta comments! Hope I'm not repeating. I know how the shirts on backward starts. Take a shirt and lay it on the bed in front of you. You will of course put it there pretty side up (front side up). It looks great. Now, open up the bottom and slide in. You will have your shirt on backwards. Finally, imagine that you are three. Or four. You have just figured out how to put on your own shirt, and darn it, nobody's gonna tell you you did it wrong. Therefore, you HAVE to like it this way.

You forgot the Seventh Child! My Third Child, aka Husband, is constantly going out in public with swim trunks and a polo shirt! I mean, c'mon! Or my favorite: when he splits his pants, he keeps on wearing them! Figures no one notices.

You just made me realize that I am totally fighting (and losing, every day) an unwinnable battle with my three year old. The child will ONLY wear dresses and somehow her list of requirements about said dresses has expanded--no stripes, no pockets, must be long ("NOT MEDIUM, MOMMY!"), must have a 3 foot spread when twirling, etc...I spend at least 10 minutes every morning arguing with her because she has a closet and dresser full of beautiful clothes--shorts, skirts, pants, etc...It is insane. Today's blog entry just hit me like a spitball between the eyes...thanks for waking me up! I am so glad I was forwarded your ebay auction--I am so excited for you! I feel like I am watching you "make it" and it is just great...please keep writing, you make my day!xoxoxoDarcyMommy of two Princesses in Training....

when my son (now 19) was 4 he wanted to wear an old dress of mine from when i was little and his hair in a pebbles style pony tail. so i decided why not and let him go to day care in his outfit, it was washed each night and for about 3 weeks it is all he would wear.(yes i do have pics LOL) The director called me in and asked me about his clothing and why i let him wear it but, i told her to leave him alone he was testing what he felt comfortable in and when he was bored with it he would stop. :-)My daughter (now 15) wore the plastic heels for little girls for about 6 months had her "school" pics taken in her lime green heels.

Both kids have turned out quite well in my humble opinion despite their oddities early on and i am sure i saved myself a few grey hairs due to refusing to battle over it!

love your blog and stories it brings back many great memories for me. i kept kids when my kids were young and at any given time had 6 to 8 kids under 10, we would go to the bank or shopping and people would ask how i managed the kids were all well behaved (most the time) and we had alot of fun.

Thank you for your blog! I just found you (of course through eBay) but am hooked, like so many others. The comment about the baby and the shoes reminds me of my daughter. She just turned 1 and her first word (several months ago) was "Shoes" She too loves to wear them, hold them, pick them out! She got 10 pair just for her birthday! Look out...

I love, love your blog. Like so many I found it through the famous Ebay listing. My mother-in-law sent me an email knowing how much I would relate. I have three boys ages 3, 5, & 6. Your postings and reading the comments of others have made me feel so much more normal. I have good boys that I love more than my life but oh I'm only 35 and my hair is 50% grey. Thank goodness for hair dye. I pray daily for more patience as they make mine run thin. I am addicted to your blog now. You are one funny lady and I can't wait for your book!!

Purrrfect. My three year old wore cat ears with black bow tie and tiger tail to the grocery store today. (fighting with her to understand the difference between "talent-dress-up night" and every day life is one of those battles you just don't choose:)

LMAO....My youngest is a costume freak- he LOVES to wear superhero costumes all year. Do you have any idea how hard it was to find a DareDevil costume at CHRISTMAS?He wore his Power Ranger costume to the grocery once when he was 4. When a fellow shopper noticed him, he immediately broke into a series of ninja moves the Blue Power Ranger would be jealous of.

Of course his 7 year old brother was MORTIFIED by his behavior... and I, of course, just laughed and smiled!

If your baby girl married my son they better buy some stock in Payless shoes or something. My son needs different shoes for all occasions. I guess you don't have to guess how I finally got him to sit on the potty. I gave him special "potty shoes" to be only worn when he sat on and going to the potty (these are actually a pair of my crocs). Let me tell you there is nothing like a three year old yelling, "mommy you're wearing potty shoes" at the pool.

When my, now 8yr. old son, was 2, I let him come to Starbucks with me in his Superman underoos (yep that brand is still around!). I smiled sweetly at the gawking coffee drinkers and said, "He's 2, I'd rather he got it out of his system now".

I feel ya babe!! My 6 are absolutely crazy and I am sure they got their dressing skills from the dad. That would be why I pick out his clothes for him. On the rare occasion he gets one of the younger ones dressed I can never tell who did it. PS- I took my brood grocery shopping today. And to think DH wonders why I hide in my room!! LOL

Are we raising the same children? My oldest dd also complains that she has nothing to wear. That can't possibly be so, since I washed at least 2 loads of laundry that was just hers today. DS saves me on the laundry because he also only wears PJ's or underwear. Of course, I constantly have to remind him to change said underwear (yes even after baths). And then there is my princess. Dress up clothes or fancy dresses only for her. Disney should thank me because I think we own every single princess dress ever made.

MY daughter has purple plaid capri pants. They have ruffles on the bottom. Ugliest pants you've ever seen. They are flannel. She loves them. She is 4, and thinks that these pants look great with striped socks and any shirt that has some sort of sparkle to it. Lovely. I've stopped caring about what she wears. She has a closet of Gymboree, Gap and boutique clothing. She likes the ugly purple capris, and I love her.

Your blog is cracking me up. You see, today my day went like this....got up, raining. My 2-year-old decided he needed to pee, took his diaper off and he proceeded to pee all over his bedroom floor (thank goodness for hardwood) and the hall carpet (I keep telling hubby that we might want to get rid of the carpet). So, he's done peeing--didn't even have to hit the bathroom. My daughter (4) gets dressed in pyjamas and rubber boots. It works. We go outside in the rain and are all cold and grumpy 30 minutes later. It clears up...we walk to the grocery store where my daughter proceeds to have a major meltdown because she forgot her umbrella. Ummm, it's not raining. My son has a meltdown because he wants to drive the little kiddy cart. Why do they make those little carts? I leave exactly 7 minutes later with a jug of milk, some pudding, yogurt, chicken for dinner, broccoli, bananas and two packs of gum that I had to go back in and pay for because the 2-year-old took them off the shelf.

SO...your blog made me life because I'm a Mom, and today was all about being a Mom. The kids are tucked in (hey, both asleep by 8:44) and life is good.

Dear Dawn,Oh my goodness, what wonderful thoughts and advise. One more, hug your husband, kiss your babies and remember a short time ago in obscurity.I am sure you are overwhelmend, take a deep breath, try to keep everything in perspective, and thank our Lord for this gift you have. Sleep well, and God Bless

I think this is hilarious! I manage a childrens clothing store (Osh Kosh B Gosh by the way, great clothes! I promise the jeans will last at least 6 months =) there is an extra layer of fabric on the bottoms so they'll last longer!=) so this makes me laugh and see the other side of the store! When I look up and see a little boy knock all 20 stacks of T-shirts off the table, or a little girl throw all 100 pluffies onto the ground in a big pile to jump into, or when there are goldfish crackers smashed into the carpet for the 500th day in a row, I realize that they are just cute little kids and their mother is much more stressed out than I am! =)